A network of researchers, coordinated by Campus Gandia of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), is working on the project “Digitalizing and Adding Value to the Fishing Industry in the Spanish Mediterranean (DIGIPESCA)”. Funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and Food through Next Generation funds under the the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. This study aims to support the blue growth strategy in the fishing industry of the Spanish Mediterranean, promoting the digitalization and marketing of the sector, as well as adding value to the fish products.
Digitalization and Marketing in the Fishing Industry
Digitalization will lead to better and more efficient processes associated with fishing, based on different technologies such as the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or the Internet of Things (IoT). Although part of this technology is already being used in the fishing industry, its implementation in traditional fishing is rather scarce. Because of this, this project will analyze the current level of digitalization, as well as foment the dissemination of these technologies, encourage the exchange of experiences between various autonomous communities, and promote pilot projects.
In terms of marketing and adding value to the fishing industry, the current model does not guarantee the sustainability of the fishermen’s income, nor the sustainability of fishing resources. Given this, the auctioning mechanisms in the different fish exchanges will be analyzed to develop Artificial Intelligence applications to improve marketing. Likewise, new marketing systems and new added-value strategies for fish products will be explored.
Blue Growth in Spanish Mediterranean Fishing Industry
The fishing industry in the Mediterranean is immersed in a deep economic, environmental, social and labor crisis with multiple root causes. This situation is in stark contrast with concepts such as blue growth, which recognizes the importance of the seas and oceans as drivers of the European economy due to their great potential for innovation and growth.
Addressing the fishing crisis while including the fishing industry in the concept of blue growth implies initiating a transformation towards a much more sustainable model from all angles. This is the objective that has given birth to the project “Digitalizing and Adding Value to the Fishing Industry in the Spanish Mediterranean”, which aims to promote digitalizing the fishing industry, improve marketing and add value to the fish products, as well as transfer knowledge, all with the purpose of promoting transparency and facilitate decision-making on the socio-environmental sustainability of the fishing activity.
Spaces of Knowledge
In order to carry out the proposed objectives, a network has been set up that encompasses the Spanish Mediterranean, based on spaces of knowledge pertaining to five autonomous communities (Andalusia, Catalonia, the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands and Murcia). Researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València, the University of Cádiz, the University of Murcia, the University of the Balearic Islands, the University of Girona and the Blue Room Innovation company participate in it.
Source: Laida Frasquet Pascual, journalist from the Communication Department of the UPV